


Mess Around

by paranoid_agent



Category: Attack on Titan
Genre: AU, F/M, Secretary - Freeform, debt collector
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-08-10
Updated: 2019-09-11
Packaged: 2020-08-14 08:50:58
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 4,710
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20189566
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/paranoid_agent/pseuds/paranoid_agent
Summary: “Sorry, Historia. Your mother has amassed quite a debt and disappeared. Mr. Yeager here comes to collect from you on her behalf.”





	1. Chapter 1

Weekend is around the corner when Historia finds herself look up for reasons to not coming to Sasha’s farewell party. 

“Come on! It’d be fun!” Ymir yells from her desk. “That baldy from Creative has cartered a party bus!”

“You need to step in the game, Historia. Floch’s been asking why you’ve never returned his call.” Hitch Dreyes doesn’t take her eyes off the mirror, fixing her lipstick and talking at the same time. “Is he not your type? What’s your type?”

“Um, I...” Historia looks around for help. She has no interest in dating a co-worker, but finds it hard to say so without sounding so exclusive.

“Hitch, you gotta stop fixing her up,” Ymir interrupts, “And to answer your question, Historia would always go for ‘kind, understanding, and nice guy’. Hell, she doesn’t even know what she’s looking for herself, but I bet her mom wouldn’t say no to a banker for an inlaw.”

“I agree,” Annie Leonheart chimes in, shooting Historia a measuring look, “With her fancy address, I expect she won’t settle for less.”

Historia stares at Annie in horror, the fact that the tight-lipped girl figured out her address terrifying her a bit.

“You could’ve given fake address if it bothers you so much. It’s easy to access the company database and get someone’s personal info,” Annie points it out to her.

“Yeah, especially if you’re buddy-buddy with the I.T. guys - Oh, Mina! Let me borrow your spare clothes! I heard some guys from Marketing are coming too!”

Sasha’s networks are cross-departments, Miss Social Butterfly as she is. They can expect some bachelors from Account as well.

“Sheesh! Bring your own clothes, Hitch!” Mina replies. “Sasha has outgamed even the notorious party girl, huh? We all entered the company at the same time and look who’s getting out first?”

Crossing her arms, Hitch puts on a confident stance. “If a slob like Sasha could pull it, so can I.”

Historia doesn’t get the euphoria. Everyone around her seems so giddy at the prospects of meeting ‘some guys’. Sasha is getting hitched to a client on her second year in the company. Following the norm, she resigned, much to Historia’s disappointment.

There’s a reason that Secretarial has the biggest turnover. It was dubbed-or more likely mocked-as the Sorority House by the other departments.

* * *

Historia was ready to call it a night when the mating ritual has begun. Hitch draped herself all over a Marketing guy with the bowl-cut. Ymir had disappeared and Sasha was nowhere around, so Historia just took off without saying goodbye.

There’s a line to get a taxi at the lobby. Historia notices few familiar faces belong to Account and quickens her pace. But, she was a little too late...

“Reiss, I’ve been looking for you!”

Floch Forster blocks her path, his smile spells trouble.

“Are you going back?”

“Yes...”

“I can take you home. Come on, I’m not going to bite!”

With a tentative nod, Historia lets Floch to lead her way.

“My place is quite far,” she lied, “You can just drop me off at the nearest station, Floch.”

“Nonsense, I’m sending you home. But we’re gonna take a detour,” sensing Historia’s slowing her steps, he reassures her, “Nothing funny I promise!”

* * *

Ten minutes or more has passed since Floch parked the car in an empty basement and left after telling her to wait. Historia simply isn’t going to. She grabs the door handle only to find that it was locked.

_ You stupid, trustful girl_, Historia cursing her people-pleaser personality. Hitch’s advice about her dating life, Ymir’s mockery of her mother, and Annie’s words about fake address swirl around in her head, slowly turning into a maelstrom.

In the darkness, Historia tries to count to calm herself as her hand reaching for her cellphone. She should call for help...

The taps on her window almost give her a heart attack. Floch appears with a man she doesn’t recognize.

“Sorry to make you wait,” he opens the door for her, “Historia, this is a Mr. Yeager.”

Mr. Yeager is taller than Floch. Broad shouldered but slender with hints of muscles underneath his clothes. His face is hidden by long dark hair. Bandages covered an eye and Historia doesn’t want to ask how he got the wound.

Without taking her eyes off the man, she tells Floch to take her home, which meets with his flat refusal.

“Sorry, Historia. Your mother has amassed quite a debt and disappeared. Mr. Yeager here comes to collect from you on her behalf.”

* * *

The scene feels like a dream.

She was on the back seat wih the stranger. Floch drove them to her house while explaining the situation. It all started with her mother’s gambling habit.

“Rod bailed her out too many times in the past. This time he didn’t want anything to do with her anymore and directed us to you.”

So while her mother ran away, her father turning blind eye on her. Historia is on her own to settle the problem. Their problem.

“How much did my mother owe you?” Historia cuts to the chase.

“Two point five, not including the interest,” comes the passive reply from the man beside her.

Historia goes pale. He was surely talking in millions...

“Your mother is a piece of work.” From the rearview mirror, Floch gives her a grin. “Good thing that the house Rod gave you worths more that that. Sell the house and you’re gonna be fine.”

_ Yeah, who cares where she’ll live afterward. As if doing secretarial work for a pittance could help to pay the debt either._


	2. Chapter 2

The next morning, Historia made several unsuccessful attempts to contact her parents. Her father had ordered his secretary to politely tell her to fuck off, while her mother... well, she’s just being herself: a total cunt who never answered her call.

Around noon, Floch’s number showed on her screen. He’s asking about the house deed. The sooner she could sell the better.

“I’m just looking out for you, Historia. The interests keep adding as we’re speaking.”

_Who the heck are these men her mother got involved with? Why was she so bad at being a mother but so good at making her life miserable?_

_ She is damned for something that wasn’t hers to begin with!_

Not wasting anymore time, the young secretary turned the house upside down in search for the papers.

* * *

Mr. Yeager turns up by himself that afternoon. He is sitting on the sofa as Historia explaining about the lost document. She suspected her mother took off with them and there was nothing she could do about that.

The man’s looking numb. He’s neither gloomy nor furious. Historia doesn’t think she can play victim to gain his sympathy, her guts also telling her that he won’t be happy to leave empty-handed. So, with a heavy heart, she hands over the most precious thing she got: her bank book.

“Mr. Yeager, right now I have this much.”

He doesn’t even manage to look sorry when he snatches the bank book from her.

“I’ll try to come up with something for the next payment.”

“Trying is not good enough. Either you pay or...” he lets his word hanging.

Historia knows a warning when she heard one. “...Duly noted.”

* * *

Where can she find 2.5 millions?

People will do outrageous things for money, but Historia is pretty much sheltered her whole life that the idea of holding two jobs at once feels pretty new. She almost dropped it when Hitch advised her to try working in ‘service’ industry.

“I know girls who paid their way out of college by being escorts. You just spend two hours of your night and bring back more than what you make in this shitty company for a week.”

“Are you teaching Historia to whore herself out?” Ymir slams the table in protest.

“She’s asking how to earn big in short time,” Hitch rolls her eyes in annoyance, “What’s wrong with my idea?”

“Everything,” the freckled girl sighs.

“C’mon, it’s a hypothetical question.” Hitch yawns. “Are you forgetting that Historia has money on her name? Hello? She’s a Reiss!”

_Being a Reiss doesn’t mean a thing for me! In fact the whole Reiss clan can writhe in seventh ring of Hell for all I care!_

Forcing a smile, Historia reminds herself to behave. Annie is surveying her with her cold, analytic eyes. The smaller girl wonders if she could read her mind.

Hitch still keeps blabbering until Annie clears her throat. “Hitch, you’re going to be late for your date.”

“Oh shit! Marlowe’s going to be mad!” She rushes out of the pantry, leaving her coffee untouched.

“Is it almost lunch?” Hannah suddenly realizes. Their short coffee break has turned longer than expected. “...What are we talking about?”

“That Hitch came to the company with the intent to get hitched,” Mina replies jokingly.

“Don’t we all?” Ymir snorts. “Otherwise we’d choose a more ambitious career rather than this.”

There is a sort of murmur among them, and one by one they begin to leave, except her and Annie.

Feeling like complicit, she offers Annie a smile before sedately sipping her coffee, soaking up the new reality that she would never get anywhere, be it in a career or a relationship, not until the debts miraculously disappear... _but how?_

“My friend from I.T. would like to take you for dinner,” Annie’s voice could barely just be heard.

“Oh?” Historia blushes.

Sometimes she would think Annie prefers solitaire, and then remember those two guys she’d often hang around with off work.

“He’s been keeping his eyes on you for a while now. I considered his good and bad points—sorry to say he’s not a banker—before setting this up, and I think you two’ll get it off.”

It might be a good time to deviate from her routine.

“When?”

* * *

“What a lovely surprise.” Floch stands to pull out her chair. “Thought you’d say no, but here we are.”

Historia wasn’t sure herself why she said yes to Floch’s invitation for lunch. But guess what, everyone’s got a price and hers happened to be, quoting Mr. Yeager, “Two point five, not including the interest.”

“You’ve said you had a good news. Did you find my mother?” she asks, hopeful.

“Well. I suppose there’s no hurry for that since we can get the money from you anyway.”

Historia’s face fell.  _ There’s no way she could enjoy the lunch when she  supposed to save her money... _

Oblivious to her mood change, Floch announces a tad too gleefully, “Let’s order some oysters! They’re pretty famous here!”

* * *

Not only buying her lunch, Floch had came up with a way for her to pay the debts. It requires simple effort, really. She just needs to deliver packages to a club thrice a week. When she asked what’s inside, Floch just put his finger in front of his lips, grinning. Historia instantly knew she was into some shady business, and unlike what people assume, her moral compass isn’t that just.

Into her third week, Historia began to notice a man in a hood who is always sitting in the corner. She paid him no mind until later that week.

So many guys. So much testosterones. Yet no one came to her aid when a drunkard kept on pestering her. Apparently it took a sentence to make it happen: “How much is it to sleep with you?”

As if hearing a cue, the hooded young man stood up and knocked the pervert across the room.

“Thank you.” For the violent demonstration, Historia adds a warm smile. She watches as the bruised pervert lumbers out of sight, then spins to find her savior right behind her.

“Quit this job.”

“W-what?” Historia stammers. His voice sounds very familiar.

“You’re a magnet for stalkers and weirdos.”

“Which one are you?” She defiantly crosses her arms.

“None. This is a stupid way to get drugged and left dead in an alley.”

“I’m sorry, do I know you? What I do is none of your business.”

“It is. I wouldn’t get paid if you died.”

_No way..._

“Mr. Yeager?”

He lowers the hoodie, turning his face to the side. “Stop adressing me like that. I’m not that old.”

Historia quietly agrees. When he lost the bandage and the beard, and swept his hair to the back, the debt collector suddenly looking at least a decade younger.

“Yeager,” Historia tests the name.

“Just Eren is fine.”

“So, Eren,” Historia’s eyes dart all over the place, “...you often frequent this place?”

“No, I followed a girl who’s too gullible on her own.”

She frowns. “I knew what those packages are. I’m doing this to pay the debts.”

“Whatever you’d do if there’s a raid? Shove the package up your ass?” he says levelly. “I don’t need to tell you, if anything it benefits Floch because you’d owe him more.”

He had a point. 

“...I didn’t even think that far when accepting Floch’s request.” She looks at him helplessly. “Thanks for the warning.”

“Let’s get out of here.”

Overcoming with sudden exhaustion, she doesn’t say anything when he takes her with him. She should have refused, but the ‘no’ felt reluctant as he looked at her with the expression that suggested an earnest guy.

A small part of her interprets this as kindness. Another mocks her in that voice of her mother.  _What now? Are you thinking this is going to be the start of a love story?_


	3. Chapter 3

The next morning, Floch is giving her a disdain look. Historia decides to avoid him, and spends several minutes in front of her laptop before remembers to turn it on. By the time she reads her first email, there is the shuffling behind her. She looks over her shoulder to confirm her suspicion.

“You’re such an ungrateful bitch,” Floch whispers menacingly while crouching over her small frame, hair sticking up randomly. Red, bloodshot eyes glare at her accusingly. “And do you even feel sorry? Ratting me out to fucking Yeager after I helped you?”

“Not here, Floch...” Historia whispers, looking alarmed. The last thing she needs is another drama.

“I pity you,” he sneers, straightening himself. “Now you’re Yeager’s problem. Good luck trying to pay your way out.”

How appropriate. She didn’t need to be reminded that Eren Yeager is a practical guy. Just because he warned her about Floch doesn’t mean he’d abandon his duty. Annoyingly, it means that she isn’t off the hook yet. The debts still there.

* * *

Annie sends her a text with a time and an address in the afternoon.

_ Everything ok with Floch? Don’t forget your date this evening. A_

Although her reply involves a thumb-up emoji, truthfully Historia feels a bit queasy. Yesterday and this morning’s event had drained her that she wants nothing more than to go home and rest.

At six, teethering on her kitten heels and knee-length skirt, Historia strides to the lobby to find Bertholdt Hoover who has been waiting. After formally introducing themselves, they grab a taxi since he doesn’t drive a car. 

Much to her surprise, Historia enjoys the date. Bertholdt is sweet in a dork way. He’s considerate. He’s polite. He can take a hint when she seems unwilling to talk about her family. He tells her a great deal about Annie (they knew each other since junior high and currently sharing an apartment together with another guy). He confides that the I.T. department is underappreciated - unlike Creative or Account which are the stars of the company - that he needs to work another I.T. related jobs on the side.

Halfway through her dessert, Bertholdt asks in concern, “This may not be my business, but are you in trouble, Historia?”

That question couldn’t be coming out of nowhere. He must have heard about Floch’s little antic this morning. News and gossips alike travels fast within the company.

Historia answers without missing a beat. “Oh, that? It’s already resolved.”

By the end of the date, Historia turns down his offer to send her home, but agrees to see him again.

* * *

Historia’s house is located on top of the hill. After getting out of the station, she’d climb what felt like the never-ending-stairs alongside the main road to reach the three-stories house. The view from up there is breathtaking. But from down here, the house looks gloomy, reflecting her mood.

As she begins to take the stairs, Historia doesn’t really see what’s in front of her most of the time. She did it out of habit, but today she’s doing it for a different reason. Today she wants to forget, but today she doesn’t expect to run into Eren Yeager.

“Hey.” His greet was short and to the point.

Historia tilts her head up in surprise, “Here on a job?”

As far she knew, she hasn’t been late in her payment. At least not yet.

“I’m off the clock. Just finished taking care of an account nearby.”

She notices blood trailing down his hand. “Were you in a fight?”

He follows her gaze. “Yeah.”

“You really need to have that wound looked after,” she says before she can stop herself.

“So...?” he says, with such innocence that means something else.

Is it socially acceptable to bring a man over the house past dinner time? He was her hero yesterday, but still is a professional bad guy. 

Historia’s head is a mess of contradictions. She feels the need to get out of there fast.

“Come with me.”

* * *

_He wears black so well, but even better without._

Historia studies his profile while he removes his hoodie, discarding it to the floor. Eren Yeager has an athletic build - all muscles and bones underneath the skin. Between planes of chest and that ripped abs, he has a wound stab on his upper arm. 

Before she could turn away, Eren has caught her staring. Historia feels stupid, her mind is swimming in her mother’s disapproval - what is she doing with a half-naked man in the bathroom?

The ringing of her cellphone breaks her thoughts. Bertholdt, ever the thoughtful friend, calls to see if she’s home safe and sound. 

The moment the call has ended, Eren shoots her an annoyed look. Something seems bothering him, but that can’t be her - or so she thought.

From there on everything goes downhill. Historia’s effort to hold a conversation is met with Eren’s resistance. He had no idea how much his prickly tone got under her skin. Or perhaps he did. 

At one point, unable to let it slide, Historia purposely pours too much disinfectant into his wound, knowing that it would sting. 

“That’s not necessary.” Eren reacts by pulling his hand away roughly.

Startled, Historia steps back only to find her back hit the wall. By now, his tall form is looming over her, arms on either side blocking her escape. The petite girl swallows, intimidated by his height.

She has forgotten she was dealing with a dangerous man. She bets he often break people with those arms, why must she be an exception?

With a sharp breath, Historia is waiting for a blow, but it never comes. All he does is giving her a long hard look before saying in a low voice, “Are you always this naive - inviting a stranger over?” 

Months ago she would have avoided this kind of man, what happens to her now?

“You helped me... you’re not a stranger...” she murmurs, sounding unsure.

“And your date is?”

With that Historia falls into silent, quietly admitting that whatever she said and did was justifying her excuse to bring a man with questionable background into her house.

“...He is not my boyfriend.”

She has no idea what made her say that. But she must’ve said the right thing judging by the way his body leaning closer, a corner of his lips turning upward into a smirk.

“Good. I’m not interested in going after somebody’s girlfriend.”


	4. Chapter 4

_ In her head she can still see him leaning onto her lips... followed with sweet nothing._

Eren Yeager must’ve thought she’s such a baby - for God’s sake, what kind of a girl cries when a beautiful guy about to kiss her?

“Rough night, Historia?”

She looks up, startled. “Eh? ...No.”

“I know that dazed look so well.” Mina smiles knowingly. “By the way, Mr. Ackerman’s asking for you.”

Historia feels cold all of the sudden. Levi Ackerman always has that effect on people. That smidge of a man has the whole company bow their heads to him and he’s not even the CEO.

Dragging herself to thirtieth floor, Historia wonders what she did wrong. She is not exactly the model employee, but surely there are more people more worth scolding than her.

_ ...Unless Levi knows that his hand sanitizer has found a new home in the girls’ bathroom!_ _Oh God. What if he specifically summoned her about this?_

She’d have confessed right away if some of her other pranks weren’t legitimately illegal. She did realize that vandalism of office property is beyond written warning and apology letter.

The door with HR Director sign is already opened when she gets there.

“Please come in,” Levi calls her.

Historia enters warily. His office has always deeply struck her as OCD’s wet dream. Everything is in order with the precision of a ruler and clean without a speck of dust. Scrunching her nose, she catches a whiff of strong antiseptic smell in the air.

_Is this guy for real? _

“What is it, Sir?”

“It is a matter of office conduct, Miss Reiss.” He shot her a displeased look. “Using pantry means tidying up after, not leaving ten cups littered all over the table. Aren’t secretaries supposed to have a better standard than that?”

Historia is glancing at the hand sanitizer - _a new one_ \- on the table.

“Brat?” he calls. “Are you listening?”

She winces at how quickly she was degraded from Miss Reiss to brat. At least Levi doesn’t seem to suspect her...

“I’m so sorry. It won’t happen again.”

“You better. Tell your friends, if I come across another messy pantry, there will be consequences.”

“I-I will. May I go now, Sir?”

He surveys her face, while Historia is giving off a nervous smile. She _still_ has every reason to be.

“Do you even know that your father is under investigation?”

That wipes the smile right away. Looking slightly confused, she shakes her head.

“I swear you millenials are a bunch of illiterates,” he says wryly before thrusting a newspaper to Historia. “It’s on the front page.”

It’s the picture of Rod Reiss on top of a headline: _‘I’M BEING BLACKMAILED’. _

* * *

_Is Frieda alright?_

All her calls went straight to Frieda’s voicemail. Not caring that lunch time was over, Historia is still lingering in the secluded corner of the garden, waiting for a call back or a message.

She needs to get home. Before that, she better notifies someone that she feels funny and—

“Look who’s here!”

Dumbfounded, she looks up to find Floch pointing at her. Historia’s stomach is doing a little twist, seeing who comes behind him is none other than Eren Yeager.

She quickly stands up and sets the carefully folded newspaper aside.

“What’s the hurry? Where is your gaggle of girls?” Floch takes a taunting step forward.

Historia is still mad at him, so she gives him that look which means he should shut up. To her dismay, Floch ignores the hint and proceeds to throw more scathing remarks.

“So I’ve heard someone’s finally managed to go on a date with you. That docile I.T. guy a bit of a stutterer, isn’t h-h-he?”

Historia squirms, her eyes searching for Eren, who appears non-plussed, hands kept inside the pockets.

“Papa Rod can’t help you so you’re hoping for a simpleton to clear your debts, ain’t cha?” Floch clicks his tongue, appraising her with his eyes. “Nothing’s free though. Are you offering him something in return?”

Historia narrows her eyes. “Offer what?”

“I don’t know - uh - sex?”

It takes only a second for her to react...

“What the fuck!” Floch stumbles backward.

She managed to graze his jaw, but missed a chance to sock him a good one because of Eren. He’s restraining her firmly, holding her against his chest.

“Control yourself, bitch!” Floch snaps savagely. “You have nobody to back you up! It’s only a matter of time before you’re fucked!”

Historia’s mouth fills up with profanities and curses, which are muffled by Eren’s palm. Her movements stalled. The only thing she can do is watching Floch walk off with his middle finger up. 

* * *

Historia still feels rage beating against her chest. Her life is completely all over the place. What with her mother’s disappearance, the debts, Reiss family is suddenly being investigated... And him. She can’t just completely disregard him. 

Taking her frustration back home, she rushes to her bedroom to obtain her address book. If Frieda’s cellphone doesn’t work, Historia will try her working place. Hopefully Frieda’s still working there...

Without even looking, Historia answers her vibrating cellphone.

“Where are you?” Ymir asks.

Crap. She totally forgot to tell them.

“At home resting. My stomach feels funny.”

“Oh, I got it - that time of the month.”

Historia hums in agreement.

“Bertholdt is here,” Ymir informs her, “Looking for you.”

Historia smacks her forehead. She forgot to tell him too.

“Please tell him I can’t make it to our date - it’s an emergency. I’ll make it up to him.”

Ymir whistles. “Way to go, Bert. So am I right about your type - nice, kind, and understanding?”

Bertholdt is too nice for her, Historia unconsciously frowns. What she needs is a man who can take control, a bit forceful maybe - but definitely not on the short side.

“I’m not sure about him... He likes another girl.”

Ymir gasps. “Whoa. Fill me in.”

Historia is making a comment about Bertholdt’s fixation on Annie when the front bell is ringing.

“Sorry. I gotta open the door. It might be my mother.”

* * *

...It’s not her mother.

“What do you want?” Historia is not in the mood to be nice, especially after he snubbed her attempt to play Floch-Must-Die. “If you’re here about Floch-“

“Who says I’m here about that,” Eren cuts her fast.

Without thinking, she swings the door close. The door is halted sharply. Eren stands still. His feral eyes light up in amusement as he holding the door with one hand, preventing it from being closed.

“Go away,” Historia raises her voice, “You stood over there for nothing when Floch insulting me!”

She was so certain that he was hitting on her yesterday. Did she interpret him wrong? She should think nothing of it, but why is it feel like someone punched her on the heart?

_It’s your expectation and the humiliation that follows, honey_, her mother chuckles inside her head. _It’s Frieda all over again._

“I don’t want you here!”

But Eren is not the one to be ordered around. Instead of leaving, he steps inside and closes the door.

“WHO ASKED YOU TO GET IN!? GET OUT!!” she shouts, now angry beyond belief.

Eren’s hand shoots to her mouth. 

“You’re a wild little girl. Do I need to tie you into a chair before we can get along?” Eren has a genuine smile on his face which kind of nuts considering...

Before even knows what she’s doing, she bits Eren’s hand so hard that it leaves a teeth mark at the joint between his thumb and pointy finger. Eren simply retracts his hand and stares down at her. 

Historia can’t read his mind, but she figures he wouldn’t really go with _that_ idea, but then she is pulled off her feet and swiftly thrown over his shoulder.

Her blood runs cold when she finds herself tied up to a dining chair, while Eren stands before her, admiring his handiwork. 

“There.” Cocking his head to the side, he says to her, “Calm down now?”

“After you’ve let Floch shit all over me?” She glares at him in contempt.

“Oh please,” he deadpans. “You’re pretty capable of handling Floch yourself. Why should I interfere?”

“You’re a dick,” Historia growls heatedly.

“Okay potty mouth, it’s enough,” Eren’s bored voice turns serious. “I’m here about the money.”


End file.
